Amelia Merlin and the Songs of the Elves

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Boys in the Room

The Room of Requirement had become significantly less crowded since students had left for winter break. There were only a few of them left and the Room had shrunk in size. Oliver, Dean, Seamus, and Neville sat on the floor while they ate and drank the food Aberforth had brought them this morning. There were a couple younger students sitting in the corner and they were eating quietly. 

"What about you, Oliver?" Dean nudged him. 

"There was one girl, her name was Callie," he said and looked down at his feet. "She had caramel hair and sun-kissed skin and the way she walked, holy shit guys, with that white dress swaying around her knees, I don't even know how to describe her," he sighed when he thought about the two of them wrapped in white bed sheets with the sun rising through the windows. "She was probably the greatest girl I've ever met and she was smart and charming as hell."

"Why would you ever leave a girl like that?" Neville looked stunned. "What is wrong with you?" 

"She probably thought you were super weird, right?"Dean looked sympathetic. 

"Uh, no. No, she was actually pretty into me."

"Again, what is wrong with you?" 

Oliver shook his head, "Amelia." he shrugged. "I've been in love with her basically since the moment I met her."

"Shit," Seamus cringed. "We didn't even know you felt like that, mate." 

"I mean, who hasn't liked her at some point?" Dean pointed out. They all nodded but Oliver kept his thoughts to himself. There was no way any of those boys thought about her the way he did but there was no point in saying that aloud. 

"Yeah, well she's married now." Oliver sighed. "I can't believe she's pregnant too."

"How insane is that?" Dean said as he put his drink down. "She's seventeen and she got pregnant."

"I would not want kids right now. I don't even know how to cook," Seamus agreed. "I think it's a little weird that she got married."

"I don't think the marrying thing is weird," Oliver shrugged and pushed his potatoes around with his fork. "You've seen them together right?"

"Yeah," Neville nodded and leaned back against the wall. His eyes were drooping from lack of sleep. "I think it would be pretty great to love someone the way they love each other."

"Neville, mate, we didn't know you were such a romantic," Seamus grinned. 

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes. "Oliver's the one in love with a married, pregnant, woman. Make fun of him."

"That's true," Dean laughed. "It's pretty sad," he said turning to Oliver.

"Yeah, you're not wrong," he rubbed his forehead. "It's the most pathetic part of my existence."

"No, I think the most pathetic part is probably that hair cut. You look like a sheepdog," Dean snickered. 

"Is this just pick on Oliver day or something?" he laughed and ran a hand through his hair. They were right, the curls were getting a little out of control. "The girl I've been in love with for about seven years just announced that she's married and pregnant. And now's the time you choose to make fun of me?"

They looked around at each other. 

"Yeah pretty much," they nodded and laughed again. Oliver joined in because, in all honesty, he didn't mind. They let it go after a while but that night, he was completely unable to go to sleep. He lay awake for hours on his back staring up at the ceiling and being completely still. He wished he could call her, but wizards didn't use phones. He just wanted to hear her voice and talk to her. There had been this bird that flew up through the Hog's Head tunnel into the Room and everyone had gone insane trying to catch it and set it free. Then there had been the incident with the bubbles that he really needed to tell her about. And the possum! How had he forgotten the possum?

He got out of bed and went to the fire. He had seen it done a couple times before and knew what he had to do. He threw the floo powder in and stuck his face in the flames. 

"Amy!" he called out as he saw her feet go by. "Amy!" 

"Uh, hello?"

"Down here! I'm in the fire," he grinned as she leaned down and beamed at him. 

"Oliver!" she laughed. "Hey, I was just thinking about you!"

"Yeah?"

"Of course! What's new? What's going on at Hogwarts? Tell me everything!" Amelia couldn't stop smiling. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry," he shook his head. 

"You need a haircut," she said. 

"Yeah, yeah right? It's out of control," Oliver smirked. "This is why I need you around."

"Well, I need you around to make me laugh. Everyone is so serious around here and I'm starting to become like that too!" Amelia groaned. "You have no idea, it's so bad. Tell me something funny, please, Oliver."

"Okay, okay, I've got a good one. Did I tell you about the possum that got into the Room?" 

"No, but it sounds perfect."

"Trust me, darling, it's hilarious." He felt it again. That feeling when you get to talk to the one person who will listen to all the useless boring facts about your life and actually find it interesting. That feeling when they nod and smile and somehow even the weather becomes fascinating. That feeling when all the ordinary things become extraordinary.